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5 Outdated Royal Wedding Traditions Meghan Markle Is Breaking

by Brittany Bennett
Chris Jackson/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

It's not every year that an American marries into a royal family. Meghan Markle marrying Prince Harry is a modern-day Grace Kelly situation, which I am totally living for. (Kelly, if you don't recall, was an American actress who was married to Prince Rainier III of Monaco from 1956 until her death in 1982.) Speaking of ~modern~, there are a handful of royal wedding traditions Meghan Markle is breaking as she plans her nuptials to Prince Harry. She's not wreaking havoc on tradition by any means, but she's staying true to her personality, and, it seems, ensuring her wedding does too. Finding authenticity in a wedding where traditions are rigid (and sometimes outdated) while also paying respect where respect is due is a balancing act. And some things these days might not hurt from a little updating.

Markle is not your everyday, fairytale-imagined princess. For starters, have you seen her rock a pantsuit? Have you watched her impassioned speeches at the United Nations? The soon-to-be royal is changing the game and making royal life seem approachable, in a good way. Above all, you have to respect that fact that even with strict protocols to follow and a literal Queen to impress, the woman sticks to her true self. It's worth bowing down for.

What will we see when the world tunes in for this grand wedding? Probably a perfect production of bliss mixed in with modern touches that really show Markle's personality. For instance, you might see some different variations of flowers in the bouquet. That doesn't seem like a rebellious move — and breaking these traditions is surely not with the intention to rebel — but if a color other than white finds it way into the bridal bouquet, that will certainly be different and totally original.

Markle Will Give A Speech At Her Wedding

I don't think a bride necessarily is expected to give a speech at her wedding anywhere. But Markle is no rookie when it comes to delivering passionate, eloquent speeches. The Times in the UK reported that, "in a striking departure from royal marital tradition, the American former actress is understood to be ready to speak at the reception that will follow the wedding ceremony on May 19." The speech is expected to be "affectionate" and an expression of gratitude towards the Queen and their respective family and friends for their support. Hey, why shouldn't a bride make a speech at her own wedding?

Her Bouquet Might Be Full Of Colorful Peonies

It was reported by Express.co.uk that Markle favors peonies, and a florist predicts that she will perhaps carry a multicolored bouquet. Traditionally, as was the case with both Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton, brides carried fragrant bouquets brimming with white blooms, so a multicolored bouquet would be quite different.

Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Are Getting Married In May

Not that there's anything wrong with May — I mean, hello gorgeous spring weather and pastel outfits. But, a royal wedding with a date set in May has been long avoided since Queen Victoria. (Even Prince Harry and Kate Middleton's wedding occurred on April 29, 2011.) Fashion Magazine elaborated on this and reported, "the late, great monarch believed it was unlucky to marry in the fifth month of the calendar year, buying into the superstitious rhyme: 'Marry in May, and rue the day.'" All the same, I'm pretty sure Markle is gonna be fine with her May 19 wedding date.

The Wedding Day Will Happen During The Weekend

You're probably used to weekend weddings, right? They work great with your work schedule, in case you need to make any travel arrangements. Well, apparently royal weddings typically happen during the weekdays. E! News reported, "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wed on a Friday, while Queen Elizabeth II wed on a Thursday. Prince Charles wed Princess Diana on a Wednesday." But alas, Saturday sounds like a lovely day to tie a royal knot. And so May 19 it will be!

The Cake Might Be Less Than Traditional

TheKnot.com clued readers in to detailed royal wedding traditions, mentioning that the wedding cake is typically a tiered fruit cake. However there is speculation, according to E! News, that the couple are favoring a cake involving banana.